Rome 4

I want to talk about our little street, Via del Pellegrino.

Front Door to our building

The part we were on started in the Campo di Fiori and continued for about 1000-1500 feet. It was made of flat cobble stone, laid in an arch pattern, like most Roman streets and about 12' across at the widest points.

There were stores and restaurants on both sides and we were constantly discovering new ones even though we walked past them multiple times a day. There was a clock repair shop, an engraver, multiple boutiques and children stores, a book and paper shop, an antique shop, a natural food store, a basket shop, a pottery shop, a tailor shop, a hotel and an espresso bar. There was also a tiny housewares and hardware store run by what appeared to be some of Rome's first inhabitants---an ancient and tiny couple. As you walk on our little street, if you look up you see lovely little apartment balconies with small gardens. Then, looking both left and right, small streets and alleys spur off leading to more of the same, which in the case of Rome means fascinating possibilities. I think we could have spent months more, walking in circles and discovering nooks and crannies. I imagine there would still be much left to see that we walked past but didn't notice.

Roman Skyline from the Vatican

When we first got to Rome, I assumed that as with most cities, there would be a modern trade area complete with 100 story high rises. Not so in Rome. That sort of thing is in modern Milan but Rome is beautifully timeless. Four to five stories seems to be the limit(except for bell towers) as you look out from a highpoint on a sea of tile roofs and church domes. Oh, I must not forget lots of trees and the winding river Tiber. The photo above is the Roman skyline from the Vatican.

Vestment Store

One sight we ran across that seems obvious yet also improbable was a vestment store. I always assumed that the opulent robes and gowns worn by popes and cardinals were all custom made. Well, I guess not. We did not go inside the store, but from the window we saw a variety of clothing, from the most ornate priestly robes to very plain nun habits and shoes. Yes, some nuns wear white Birkenstocks. Actually, after just reading up on this, some of the clothing is custom made. This is one of the first things done after a new pope is selected. Does that mean the former popes keep their vestments---I guess most perish while in office.

While Rome is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, the history of Rome takes one back far before Christianity. Churches and Christianity are ever present, but that is along with paganism. I would imagine that even simple street and plumbing repairs often turn up relics of the past. We saw some excavations of sites where the former street level seemed to be 20' or more below the current level. I just read that the necropolis below the vatican is 60 feet down.